The depositional significance of 3-D seismic attributes in the upper Cenozoic of the central North Sea

Upper Cenozoic sequences have been studied in detail on 3-D seismic data, attribute displays and well logs, in order to illustrate the use of attributes in stratigraphy. Lowstand and uppermost highstand deposits are associated with high values of reflection strength, interpreted from logs as reflecting silty-sandy strata. Increasing values of reflection strength through the Upper Cenozoic are related to increasing sand content. Amplitude maps characterize sedimentary facies of systems tracts. An integrated study of timeslices, reflection intensity and logs reveal buried channels and their sedimentary facies. Shallow channels may represent glacial meltwater run-off during the interglacial Cromerian, while the succeeding more deeply incised valleys may be formed by glacioeustatic sea-level falls during the Saale and Weischel glaciations. The studied shallow section with good resolution may contribute to the method of using attributes in genetic facies analysis of subtle stratigraphic hydrocarbon traps, in deeper sections.